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Trump’s censorship
reaches Jimmy Kimmel

Re: “ABC suspends Kimmel over his Kirk comments” (Page A3, Sept. 18).

Suspending Jimmy Kimmel’s show is the latest in government censorship.

After the cancelling of Stephen Colbert, Donald Trump celebrated and targeted Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Myers. Two down, two to go. Then, Trump said federal regulators should revoke broadcast licenses over late-night hosts who speak negatively about him. This is a direct assault on free speech and First Amendment rights, and a prime example of Trump’s dictatorship ambitions and methods.

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Kimmel’s “offending” words, “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk,” are confirmed by these actions.

Karen Mandel
San Jose

Kimmel suspension
attacks free speech

Re: “ABC suspends Kimmel over his Kirk comments” (Page A3, Sept. 18).

The suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is nothing less than an attack on free speech and an assault on our Constitution. This is how censorship starts — silencing voices that dare to challenge, mock or speak truth to power.

Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, who bears responsibility for this disgrace, should resign immediately or be removed. If not, Congress must haul him in to testify and answer for this blatant attack on free speech.

Today, it’s a late-night host. Tomorrow, it could be journalists, writers or any citizen whose views are deemed inconvenient. This is not entertainment news — it is a constitutional crisis.

Willow Bechtel
Campbell

What won’t Trump’s
loyalists sacrifice?

Re: “ABC suspends Kimmel over his Kirk comments” (Page A3, Sept. 18).

Jimmy Kemmel was indefinitely suspended because of Donald Trump’s loyalists.

Trump, via his loyalists, is controlling the U.S. Department of Justice, corporations, our health department, and the judicial and legislative branches. He has and is eliminating the independence of these institutions and agencies that affect our lives and freedoms.

I’m wondering how much freedom Trump’s loyalists will continue to sacrifice for him. Maybe I worded that wrong; I’m wondering what they won’t sacrifice for him.

Thomas Sutton
San Jose

Blaming high tech lets
gun access off hook

Re: “Silicon Valley needs to address its role in Charlie Kirk’s killing” (Page A6, Sept. 18).

So Charlie Kirk’s assassin spent a great deal of time online, as do the majority of his generation.

It was not his time online that gave him access to a weapon capable of reaching out to kill Mr. Kirk at over 150 yards, or the ability to hit him with one shot. That was the responsibility of those like his family who support the Supreme Court ruling that the first clause of the Second Amendment is effectively null and void.

This is the fruit of today’s political climate of division, coupled with unfettered access to firearms.

William Gascoyne
San Jose

The system isn’t broken;
there is no system

Two weeks ago, I saw a homeless pregnant woman at a city park in San Jose. I reported the situation to a San Jose park employee (at the site). I also reported the situation to a city of San Jose employee who works at the senior center adjacent to the city park. Both city employees seemed concerned and told me that they would report the matter to their supervisors.

I also sent an email to the Silicon Valley Salvation Army. I was informed that they would contact someone about the homeless woman in the park.

A few days ago, I discovered that the homeless woman was still sleeping in the park. What I discovered firsthand is that the system isn’t broken, but rather, there is no system.

Pete Campbell
San Jose

Trump, Rubio must do
more to end Gaza war

Re: “Palestinians flee carnage” (Page A1, Sept. 17).

Imagine if we were in the war, getting bombed every day, having to move all our belongings to another place and our whole family risking getting killed. This is what’s happening now, and there are no peace negotiations in sight.

Benjamin Netanyahu is coming to the White House again. Hopefully, President Trump can convince him to have a ceasefire to give a chance for the remaining hostages to be released.

Secretary of State Rubio needs to do more, too, if possible, to end this war and the constant displacement of Palestinians.

Celeste McGettigan
San Jose

What’s the real cost
of ICE enforcement?

Re: “Migrants on flight to Ghana were treated harshly, lawsuit says” (Page A4, Sept. 13).

Aside from the atrocities mentioned in the article, what did it cost the U.S. taxpayers to fly 14 deportees to Ghana on a U.S. military cargo plane?

The same can be asked of all deportees flown out of the United States.

Tom Keeble
Saratoga